In 2015, Latvia experienced some of the highest indexes in the European Union in terms of the number of deaths that were caused by road traffic accidents, according to information published by the European Commission.

Provisional statistical data shows that the number of deaths per 1 million residents in Latvia was 94 in 2015, which is a slight decrease in comparison with 2014 (106). Results for 2010 were 103 dead per 1 million residents, as reported by European Commission’s representation in Latvia.

Compared with 2014, Latvia’s statistical indexes for the number of deaths caused by road traffic accidents have improved 11%. Over the course between 2010 and 2015, the proportion of deaths had decreased 14%.

Lithuania and Estonia both have better results in this area – 50 dead per 1 million in Estonia and 82 dead per 1 million in Lithuania.

Latvia statistical data compiled for the number of deaths caused by road traffic accidents is better than that of Bulgaria and Romania, where 95 deaths per 1 million residents were registered in 2015.

Estonia and Ireland have both experienced a decline in the number of deaths – 15%. Respectively, 50 people died in road traffic accidents in Estonia and 36 – in Ireland. The biggest increase has been noted in Finland – 15% (48 people per 1 million residents). The situation seems to be the safest in Malta, Sweden and Netherlands, where only 26, 27 and 28 deaths per 1 million residents were registered in 2015.

Last year, in comparison with 2014, the number of deaths in EU member states had decreased by 1% in total.

The average index for the EU is 51.5 people per 1 million residents.

Last year, a total of 26,000 people had lost their lives on roads across the EU. 135,000 people were injured as a result of road traffic accidents. Social costs paid for road traffic accidents with lethal outcome and serious injuries were at least equal to EUR 100 billion.

It is also mentioned in European Commission’s report that Europe’s roads remain the safest in the world in spite of the many road accidents that still take place from time to time.

Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc notes that every death and every injury is a tragedy that should have been prevented. ‘We have received impressive results over the past decade. This has allowed us to reduce the number of deaths in road traffic accidents. Nevertheless, the situation remains worrying. If Europe wishes to reduce the number of deaths in road traffic accidents by half by 2020, there is still much work to be done. I urge member states to increase efforts to realize legislative measures and organize campaigns. This, of course, requires funds. However, that is insignificant when compared with social costs ranging in hundred billion euros that appear as a result of injuries and deaths caused by road traffic accidents,’ – said the commissioner.

EC continues monitoring the situation very closely. Member states are urged to speed up approval of new legislative initiatives and share experience, knowledge and advice in combating this problem. Technological accomplishments of the last decade have improved the safety of roads in Europe considerably.

In order to open the way for better traffic management and gradual automation of this process, EC plans to develop general guidelines for the introduction of an intellectual transport system, which would provide two-way communication between transports and road infrastructure.

Members of the European Parliament have overwhelmingly supported what has been negotiated upon in the joint EU-UK progress report in Brexit talks and have recommended Brussels to move on to phase two negotiations on the future relations of the parties.

The silent period – the time for Christmas wishes – has begun. Snow covers Tukums, and the city slowly becomes white. Everything is quiet at Pils ielā. The phone rings, interrupting a quiet moment of watching snowflakes fall under the light of a lantern. «You’re here for us, aren’t you?» BNN goes to interview manager of Merci Cafe Anija Rabkeviča (23) and cafe’s founder Rinalds Pluģis (22). They tell about their experience of ‘surviving’ in Latvia.

Latvian Transport Ministry’s developed development plan for the transit industry, which was presented to Saeima’s National Economy Committee this week, states that raising competitiveness in the country requires subsidizing railway cargo transports.

Only political discussions were held proposal on the merge between Latvijas Mobilais Telefons and Lattelecom, and it is good that this matter has been taken off the agenda, said LMT President Juris Binde in an interview to Rīta Panorāma programme of LNT.

In the Estonian capital, the result of a legal dispute between water utility company Tallinna Vesi and the Estonian Competition Authority is that consumers are considered to be able to claim tens of millions of euros in compensation for overcharged water tariffs that have been in place for a number of years.

It was decided at a meeting of representatives of Latvian Association of Regions (LAR) that the party will not work with For Latvia’s Development. The party has also decided to start in 13th Saeima elections with its own list of candidates.

Italy has declared a state of emergency in its natural gas sector as a large explosion at a major natural gas hub in Austria killed one person, injured at least 18 and is prone to affect supplies in central Europe.

«To maintain GDP growth rate, the government should address priority matters like prevention of mandatory procurement component costs and electricity price rise to reduce costs for both businesses and residents. It is very important for employers to have the energy policy closely tied with production, because processing industry is the main driving force behind development of Latvia’s national economy,» says Latvian Employers’ Confederation (LEC) Director General Līga Meņģelsone.

The clients of Irish low-fare airline Ryanair will face inconvenience before Christmas as pilots and crew announced industrial action seeking to achieve union recognition and better conditions in the company, which is criticised by unions that it fails to offer pilots the same pay and conditions as its rivals.

Money laundering activities and grey economy are in decline in Latvia. However, corruption in the country’s public sector and smuggling activities remain serious problems for the national economy, as noted in the report on unaudited economy, corruption in the public sector and money laundering activities in Latvia published by Latvian Chamber for Commerce and Industry on Tuesday, 12 December.

Former Georgian President, now opposition activist in Ukraine, Mikheil Saakashvili, has been released from arrest by a judge, who denied a request from prosecutors to subject him to house arrest, but the case against him continues.

Latvia’s Justice Minister Dzintars Rasnačs has met with his Macedonian colleague Bilen Saliji, who arrived in Latvia to sign the Memorandum for Cooperation between Latvian Justice Ministry and Macedonian Justice Ministry.

The majority or 65% of Latvian respondents mentioned that whenever they make travel arrangements, they try to avoid regions in which there is a high probability of terrorist attacks or natural catastrophes, according to the latest Latvia Tours Travel Index.

The only offer extended to the now former state secretary of Latvia’s Interior Affairs Ministry Ilze Pētersone-Godmane to help her stay in state administration was the offer to become a candidate for the most of head of Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital, as reported by Latvijas Avīze.

«Latvia continues supporting the solution that can be achieved through direct talks between Israel and Palestine with compliance of interests of both sides and making Jerusalem the capital of both countries. The European Union has to remain a reliable partner for Israel and Palestine. We have to continue the open dialogue with both sides and ensure EU’s unity in the Middle East peace process,» says Latvian Foreign Affairs Ministry’s parliamentary secretary Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica.

Countryside tourism businesses are threatened by unfair competition and growing bureaucracy, as emphasized by Latvian Countryside Tourism Association Lauku ceļotājs after discussing this season’s results at four regional business seminars.

As Estonia seeks to relocate part of government agencies out of the capital Tallinn, Estonian government ministers have been reminded that by the middle of January an action plan is required from them on the relocation of the central offices of 13 Estonian state institutions.

The volume of exports continued growing in November, reaching EUR 1,070,600 at the end of the month and setting a new record for exports for one month’s time. This export index is the highest in the history of statistical records in Latvia, Finance Ministry stated in its report, commenting on data from the Central Statistical Bureau.

Governments of European Union member states are aware of torture and abuse of refugees and migrants in Libya, Amnesty International has stated, insisting that trying to reduce migration, the EU is actively financially supporting a «system of abuse and exploitation» on the Mediterranean coast of Libya.